Long Island Republicans have lined up in support of County Legislator Michael Venditto, a Massapequa Republican, as their party’s candidate to succeed former Sen. Charles Fuschillo Jr. in the New York State Senate. Joining Venditto at a kick-off campaign rally on March 15 at the American Legion Hall Post 1066 in Massapequa were Dean Skelos, co-majority leader of the State Senate; Carl Marcellino, a North Shore state senator; Ed Mangano, Nassau County's executive; George Maragos, Nassau's comptroller; Norma Gonsalves, presiding officer of the County Legislature; Kate Murray, supervisor of the Town of Hempstead; and Fuschillo.

Nassau County Republicans lined up earlier this month in support of County Legislator Michael Venditto, a Massapequa Republican, as their party’s candidate to succeed former Sen. Charles Fuschillo Jr. in the New York State Senate.

The 8th Senate District, which stretches from Baldwin to Lindenhurst, has been without a senator since Fuschillo, a Merrick Republican, resigned on Dec. 31 to become CEO of the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America.

The Nassau County Republican Committee decided on March 6 to lend its backing to Venditto, who has represented the Massapequas and part of Farmingdale in the Nassau County Legislature since November 2012, when he won a special election to fill the vacancy created a month earlier when former Presiding Officer Peter Schmitt died in office. Venditto is the son of John Venditto, supervisor of the Town of Oyster Bay.

An email from Venditto’s campaign said he “believes that returning a Republican controlled State Senate is crucial to protecting our suburban interests against a New York State government that is already dominated by New York City interests.”

The email highlighted Venditto’s votes to pass annual budgets County Executive Ed Mangano proposed that did not include property tax increases, and it also said he aided in delivering relief supplies to residents following Hurricane Sandy and has supported efforts to curb drug and alcohol abuse among young people. Mangano’s budgets have consistently held county property taxes flat while financing the county’s expenses with billions of dollars of debt.

“I want to fight for the hardworking, middle class families and taxpayers of Long Island,” Venditto told the Herald. “From Washington, throughout our state and right down the line, there’s been, in my opinion, too much of a tax-and-spend mentality in government, and it’s hurting our residents.”